The purpose with this Representation/Objection is via policy innovation and risk/protection impact evaluation, to improve Reading’s local urban development practices and planning, to support the British realm and ambitions to become a great global leader in the fight against global warming. #UK

Setting the scene – High Level Meeting on New Urban Agenda and UN-Habitat – September 5 – September 6

To realise the potential, however, the challenges cannot be ignored. Urban populations continue to grow in much of the world, poverty and humanitarian crises and conflict are becoming increasingly urban phenomena, and the urban risks from climate change are intensifying. Concerted efforts, global, national and local, in both developed and developing countries, are urgently needed to address current challenges, alleviate increasing inequalities, and anticipate future threats. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Opportunities (encompassing the Sustainable
Development Goals, the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and the Addis Ababa Conference on Financing for Development) will not be met without serious attention to urban realities. The New Urban Agenda provides a roadmap for this
on-going transition, and UN-Habitat, with the entire UN development system, has a potentially critical role in supporting countries to effectively implement this Agenda.

The urban transition is essential to economic growth. Yet this basic reality is still unrecognised by many major actors, from national governments to international institutions, resulting in policies that limit migration in an attempt to slow urbanisation and restrict the access of local urban governments to development financing. Despite the restrictions, urban migration continues, and in the absence of inclusive and supportive policies and investment, this means limited opportunity for hard pressed new residents, growing backlogs in provision of services, increasing informality and the disappearance for many residents of the vaunted “urban advantage”. In many countries, for example, while rural child mortality rates are improving, in urban areas they are stagnating or
becoming worse. Poverty, hunger, disease, vulnerability to disaster, violence, are all becoming increasingly prevalent in many urban areas.
The urban transition will be more or less complete in fifty years. If it is not steered constructively now, the urban dividend could in many moreplaces become a disaster marked by inequality exclusion, inadequate basic service provision, humanitarian crises and growing civil strife.

The challenges in poor urban settlements are intensified in many areas by the mounting hazards associated with extreme weather. Cities, with their concentrations of population and assets, face high levels of risk, especially in coastal or riverside locations. Urban economies of scale and proximity can give cities a strong adaptive capacity, but the benefits seldom extend to all parts of a city. Informal settlements are often in the most hazardous locations – floodplains, hillsides at risk of landslides, sites close to industrial wastes – and unserved by the protective infrastructure that allows people to withstand extreme conditions – roads, drains, early warning systems and emergency services. Residents in poverty also have more limited capacity to prepare for, withstand and recover from a range of weather extremes. These same extremes, along with conflict, are pushing more people into towns and cities. By 2016, 80 million people globally were displaced by conflicts and disasters. Numbers keep climbing, and more than half end up now in towns and cities, adding to the burdens faced by overtaxed local authorities. Full blown conflict, often over access to land and scarce urban resources, has also become an increasingly common feature of urban areas, contributing to the emergence of the new category of the “fragile city.”

The call for action: The 2030 agenda and the New Urban Agenda

Recognising the critical need for action on pressing urban issues, government representatives at the Habitat III conference in Quito in 2016 adopted the New Urban Agenda (NUA), emphasising the links between urbanisation and development and the crucial need for inclusive and sustainable urban growth. The ambitious 2030 Agenda, adopted a year before the NUA, provides a critical overarching roadmap for this effort. Its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), designed for stimulating action in areas critical for humanity and the planet, include Goal 11 – making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. Without attention to this urban Goal, and to the urban implications of the other 16 Goals, none of the SDGs is likely to succeed. Together the NUA and SDGs point the way for cities to be part of sustainable global
development. Equally important in this endeavour are the Paris Climate Change Agreement, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda.

The scope of the commitment

Yet urban areas, with their growing majority of the global population, their concentration of both economic risk and potential, their vulnerability to climate-related disasters, and their relationships with surrounding areas, are not only relevant to realising this Agenda, they are central to its success, and the stage on which the SDGs will or will not be achieved. Most of the Goals necessarily have urban implications, and without significant attention to urban realities in all their manifestations and complexity, the ambitious objectives of the SDGs cannot be realised.

Global and regional levels
28. To achieve this, it is important:
(a) To guide action at the regional level through agreed regional and sub-regional strategies and mechanisms for cooperation for disaster risk reduction, as appropriate, in the light of the present Framework, in order to foster more efficient planning, create common information systems and exchange good practices and programmes for cooperation and capacity development, in particular to address common and trans-boundary disaster risks;

Are disaster management services the main duty-bearers to roll out DRR?

Break down legal fragment between DRR, Climate adaptation, the Tree proposal, Sendai framework, the SDGs, also between nuclear regulations.

Land use and forestry proposal for 2021-2030 – Forest laws to reduce deforestation.

National framework regulations needed now in;

Land use and urban planning

Building codes – Retrofits of existing buildings, Exemplary new buildings and Efficient equipment

Environment and resource management

Safety standards

Connect DRR and climate change, after New Zeeland 2010 Building code demolish or rescue.

2011 International convention from prevention of pollution from ships.

Mexico mainstreamed DRR law in all sectors. France mayor sent to prison for ignoring DDR laws.

Civil protection law = Disaster management (law to much focus on response)

Sectoral laws like Climate change adoption laws and development approvals important in rural and sub-urban areas. Linkage between environment laws and climate change laws.

PREVENTION at activities and measures to avoid existing and new disaster risks.

MITIGATION de-licensing or minimizing of impact of hazardous events.

PREPARDENESS capacity developed by governments responds and recover organisation, community or individuals to effectively anticipate respond to and recover from the impact of likely or imminent or current disasters.

Commentary

Early Warning Systems

SARC-agreement

The obligation of recording casualties is not an instrument of to reflect disaster victims

Urban Disaster Law

Duty is a conduct and not a result, to shall reduce risk of disaster and harm precaused thereby.

The U.?N. Human Rights Council adopted the resolution, which was submitted by the Brazilian and Ecuadorian governments, last month at its headquarters in Geneva. Diplomats say the document could now lay the groundwork for more cities-focused work by the council –>

1- Side event of ICLEI and University Tekniki Malaysia, focusing on advancing sustainability of Asian cities and regions effectively reflected the diversity of topic in the region through its multinational (Malaysia, S. Korea, Japan, Indonesia, Germany, India), multilevel (local, regional, national governments), multistakeholder (governments at all level – research and academia – finance partners) structure. Mr. Datuk HJ. Mohammad Bin Mentek, Secretary General of Malaysian Ministry of Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government and Head of Malaysian Delegfation at HabitatIII PrepCom3 in Surabaya also delivered a warm and encouraging closing remark, congratulating all partners and inviting an active collaboration in the preparation of World Urban Forum9 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in February 2018.

2- Around midday, Co-Facilitators circulated a revised version of draft NUA as of 27 July. The text had revised paragraphs except para.8 (related to Right to the City) and Section C Follow-u and Review (as Eu and Colombia noted that informal informals had not reached a conclusion yet.) After brief exchanges, Co-facilitators announced to reconvene at 17:00

3- At the plenary of Main Committee at 17:00, many Member States expressed frustration and dissapointment on the process, in particular lack of clarity on how to close agreed paragraphs, reflection of already communicated texts and next steps. While some delegations expressed general views, some delegations continue to submit new and additional textual proposals. The discussions also started to focus on the way forward between Surabaya and Quito as it became clear that the draft will not be adopted in Surabaya. Meanwhile no new text was communicated on Section.C

4- In the early hours of the morning, Co-Facilitators convened the plenary, suggested to circulate a new text in the next hour in their personal capacity taking into account the views and results of Section C informals and invited delegations to consider an informal informal in New York City at UN HQ in early September. There were no objection to this proposal.

5- Around 02:30 on 28 July, Secretariat 2 documents; draft report of the Main Committee (negotiations on draft NUA) and draft report of the PrepCom3.

6- Around 03:30 on 28 July, first Main Committee and then PrepCom3 Plenary convened and adopted the circulated documents, with subject to further updates by the Rappertouer as appropriate. Meanwhile, Joan Clos in its capacity as the Secretary of the Conference announced new webportal to announce Quito Action Plan and invited all stakeholders to upload their commitments. During the closing remarks, delegations expressed appreciations to Co-Facilitators, Indonesia government as well as people and Mayor of Surabaya.

7- The PrepCom3 concluded at 04:30 on 28 July Thursday.

7- It has to be noted that altough para.12 of the UNGA Resolution 70/210 (Rules of Procedures of Prep Com) reinvited Bureau of PrepCom3 to circulate a draft outcome document at least 6 months before the Conference, neither the Report of the Main Committee nor the prepCom3 Report included any reference to any official document with appropriate documentation number. The Conference website were uploaded with link to documents of 6 May, 18 June and 18 July, without any official document number.

8- As of 28 July 14:00 Indonesia time, the Conference website did not contain any link to the Report of the Main Committee nor any draft text as of 27 July. https://www.habitat3.org/prepcom3/papersmart

9- Around 10:00 on 28 July Thursday, the H3 Secretariat circulated a new draft NUA as of 28 July. The text is attached. It has to be noted that the document contains no information whether this is a product of Co-facilitators. The version as of 28 July contained significant changes to version as of 27 July, including a string dedicated paragaraph 7 in the Declaration recognizing 2nd local and regional governments and their 2nd World Assembly. There are some significant changed in other sections and a totally new Section C Follow-up and Review is also included which seemed to be a convergence document between version as of 18 july and proposals of EU presented on 26 July, containing numerous brackets as well as 2 options in para.164 regarding options the wwqy forward for strengthening UNhabitat. The reference to an International Multistakeholder Panel on Sustainable Urbanization, the only innovative outcome expected to be announced as n outcome/legacy of H3 remained in the version of as of 18 july was also removed in this version 28 July.

10- It may be possible to expect an informal informal meeting to be convened in NYC at UN HQ in the first week of September.

Here is a brief coverage of 26 July Tuesday

1- In the morning, Co-facilitators met with stakeholders. GTF speakers highlighted the need to engage local and regional governments appropriately in the implementation as well as follow-up and review.

2- At the Plenary, stakeholders delivered their official statements. Intervention of local and regional governments was delivered by Maimunah Mohd Sharif, Municipal President, Municipal Council Of Seberang Perai, Malaysia; President, Malaysian Association of Local Authorities (MALA); Member, ICLEI Global Executive Committee. Follow the links to reach the text and video of the intervention.

4- The main committee continued hearings from Member States for their inputs to Declaratiuon, Section A Commitments, B- Means of Implmentation. The committee reconvened at 19:30 to focus on section C Follow up and review. The African Union reiterated its position for the strengthening of UNhabitat and its new mandate for the New urban Agenda. US and EU reiterated their wish to focus on the substance of NUA at H3 and continue discussions on its further follow up and review in connection with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as well as UN General Assembly related process. Specific and substantial textual proposals were presented by the EU. G77/China responded with a positive spirit for a convergence on main subjects.

5- Informal informal negotiations continue over the night, including a stocktaking plenary by Co-Facilitators at 03:30. G77, EU, US reported about progress achieved so far and asked for additional time. Co-facilitators proposed to reconvene the plenary at 11.00 on 27 July wednesday and commit to share a revised version of the sections on Declaration, Sections A and B and results from the informal informals from Section C on follow and review.

2- ICLEI and Universiti Tekniki Malaysia will host their joint side event “Advancing Sustainability of Asian Cities and Regions” at 13:30 at Crystal Room:4, including speakers from Seberang Perai, Seoul Metropolitan Government and Iskender Regional Authority. Citynet will convene another side event at the same time at Crystal Room:1

3- Timing of closing plenary will be announced during the day based on the progress achieved in the negotiations. General Assembly of Partners will convene at 1830 and throughout the day an additional session of Co-Facilitators with stakeholders may be scheduled.

Here is a summary of 25 July Monday

1- PrepCom3 agreed on modalities and agenda of H3 in Quito,

2- Chile representative assigned as the Acting Co-Chair in Surabaya in place of Ecuador,

3- Plenary started to hear general comments from Parties, no time left for Stakeholder interventions, will continue on Tuesday

4- Main Committee established to conduct informals on draft outcome, held its first session, started hearing views of parties on the Declaration, but suspended the session upon request of G77/China, will re-convene on Tuesday.

7- City of Surabaya hosted cultural event (personally speaking, this was the best organization i had ever attended at an intergovernmental conference since 2002, hats-off to Mayor and People of City of Surabaya)

2- Plenary for statements will start at 10:00 at level:3 (expected to offer slots for Mayor Groups and Other Stakeholders), main committee will start at 10:00 at level:4

3- GAP Prep meeting will convene at 08:30 at level:4, Co-facilitators will meet with Major Groups and Other Stakeholders at 09:00 at level:4

4- Transport Day will convene at Hotel Sheraton between 13:00 – 17:00. ICLEI member City of Johannesburg will share updates on Johannesburg Ecomobility Festival held in September 2015 at the closing plenary.

In preparation for the UN Habitat III Conference, the Prepcom3 as one very important Conference, with 4248 participants representing 142 countries governments, professional, non-profit, and civic organizations, and many side events.

“By the year 2050, the world urban population is expected to nearly double, posing massive sustainability challenges in terms of housing, infrastructure, basic services, and jobs among others.” Is the “Transit City” the new norm in our new urban paradigm?

We need to address how existing armed forces and military reserves can become a stakeholder and joint partnership with the civil society and local authorities “New Urban Agenda” in the way cities and human settlements are planned, developed, governed and managed. E.g. collaborative action such as inter-municipal cooperation, including the establishment of practitioners’ capacity networks or transformative commitments via shared use for military spaces into public places etc.

What is the military’s role in the New Urban Agenda #NUA?

Military readiness can compliment planning strategy, and collaboration comply with International Humanitarian Law #IHL

RemarksMilitary force for urban action will strengthen cooperation between sub-national and local governments and civil society as well as their existing networks to deliver on capacity development programmes by means of peer-to-peer learning, subject-matter related partnerships, and collaborative action such as inter-municipal cooperation, including the establishment of practitioners’ networks and other science-policy interface mechanisms.

Military force for urban action will support institutionalized mechanisms for sharing and exchanging information, knowledge and expertise, including the collection, analysis and dissemination of geographically-based, community-collected and disaggregated data by income, gender, age, race, ethnicity, migratory status, disability, geographic location and other characteristics relevant in national and local contexts, as well as ensuring a robust science-policy interface in urban policy formulation.

I think the New Urban Agenda #NUA would benefit from military precision, military indicators and military efficiency for real urban transformation in the post-2015 future.

The military’s new role can charge mobility, rural transportation and transport between cities?

Is the military’s new responsibility to leading and carrying the new urban movement?

Soldiers can be deployed as urban men committed to prepare our cities for new challenges.

Protection, there’s already a great need to protect 10 000 “smart cities”, this is a huge responsibility.

Army reservists are with training ready to serve, first alongside the regular army.

Army personnel have collectively and individually technical capacities that can be used in favour of civil society – for example, during or after natural disasters.

What will the military’s role look like in the Habitat III agreement?

Background

The Zero Draft for the New Urban Agenda seems to be well connected and embraced by the global community, yet is the balance there? One word missing in the draft is military.

For a holistic approach point of view, we need to discuss how urban sustainable development and the military force can collaborate for a modern safe peaceful future and further secure and safeguard the New Urban Agenda.

In our achieving to accomplish tasks and system governance our cities new important networks and partnerships being formed. In collaboration these can create urban miracle development over nation borders. Cities may also need to take bold military decisions on how interaction can create and generate new civil/military urban tasks and functions. Within the goal11 to downsize the military sector and divert it into maintenance and support areas for sustainable urban development. City leaders and planners are via its position as responsible as any to “demilitarization” and submit Urban Solutions as best the city we need practice towards the world we want..

For the Prepcom3 regional event in Surabaya, Climate Change Centre Reading will continue its engagement in the UN Habitat III global campaign and second World Assembly, by awaiting granting special accreditation status for holding a side event, in time to present conclusions and contributions to the Habitat III conference.

One topic for the Zero Draft is the role and the future of military urban support action in relation to urban sustainable development for the New Urban Agenda (NUA).

Issues to address:

Military for urban action commit to strengthen synergies between international migration and development, at the global, regional, national, sub-national, and local levels. We further commit to support refugees, internally displaced persons and migrants, regardless of migration status, as well as their host communities, taking into account national circumstances, ensuring full respect for human rights and recognizing that, although the movement of large populations into towns and cities poses a variety of challenges, it also brings significant social, economic, and cultural contributions to urban life.

Military for urban action to support the working poor in the informal economy as contributors and legitimate actors of the urban economies, including the unpaid and domestic workers. A gradual approach to formalisation will be developed to preserve and enhance informal livelihoods while extending access to legal and social protections, as well as support services to the informal workforce.

Military for urban action to facilitate and support urban development in a manner that preserves rapidly diminishing natural resources, protects and improves the urban ecosystem and environmental services, promotes disaster risk reduction, while promoting sustainable economic development and people’s well-being, through environmentally sound planning, infrastructure and basic services, enhancing the quality of life of the inhabitants.

Military for urban action to promote and support the creation of well-connected and well-distributed networks of open, multipurpose, safe and green public spaces, including the creation of ecological corridors, to improve the resilience of cities to disasters and climate change, reducing flood risks and heat waves, and improving food security and nutrition, physical and mental health, household and ambient air quality, and attractive and liveable urban landscapes.

Military for urban action commit to strengthen resilience of cities and human settlements, including through the development of quality of their infrastructure by adopting and implementing integrated, age and gender-responsive policies and plans in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030,mainstreaming holistic and data-informed disaster risk reduction and management at all levels, reducing vulnerabilities and risk, especially in risk-prone areas of formal and informal settlements, including slums, enabling households, communities, institutions and services to prepare for, respond to, adapt to, and rapidly recover from the effects of hazards, including shocks or latent stresses. We will promote the development of infrastructure that is resilient and which will reduce the impact of disasters especially in slums and informal settlements.

Military for urban action to shift from reactive to more proactive risk-based, all-hazards and all-of-society approaches, while also ensuring timely and effective local disaster response to address the immediate needs of inhabitants following a disaster, as well as supporting the integration of the ‘’Build Back Better’’ principles in the post-disaster recovery process to integrate the lessons from past disasters into future planning and resilience-building measures.

Military for urban action commit to promote national, sub-national, and local climate action, including climate change adaptation and mitigation, and to support cities and human settlements, their inhabitants and all local stakeholders as key implementers. We further commit to support the shift to a low-greenhouse gas emissions energy and transport systems in urban areas, consistent with the objectives of the Paris Agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, including holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

Military for urban action invite international and regional organizations, including the United Nations development system, development partners and the private sector to enhance coordination of their urban development strategies and programed to apply an integrated approach to sustainable urban development, mainstreaming the implementation of the New Urban Agenda.

Military for urban action will integrate disaster risk reduction, and climate change adaptation and mitigation considerations and measures into age and gender responsive urban and territorial development and planning processes, including low-carbon, resilience-based, and climate effective design of spaces, buildings, and constructions, services and infrastructure, promote cooperation and coordination across sectors as well as build capacity of local authorities to develop and implement risk assessments on the location of current and future public facilities, and formulate adequate evacuation procedures.

Military for urban action will encourage and support applying the principle of subsidiarity in the implementation of national housing policies through sub-national and decentralized structures in order to ensure the coherence between national and local urban development strategies, land policies, and housing supply.

Military for urban action will support the development of vertical and horizontal models of distribution of financial resources to decrease inequalities across territories, within urban centers, and between urban and rural areas, as well as to promote integrated and balanced territorial development. In this regard, we emphasize the importance of improving transparency of data on spending and resource allocation as a tool to assess progress towards equity and spatial integration.

Military for urban action will support access to different multilateral funds, including the Green Climate Fund, for cities to secure resources for climate change adaptation and mitigation plans, policies, programmes and actions. We will collaborate with local financial institutions to develop climate finance infrastructure solutions and to create appropriate mechanisms to identify catalytic financial instruments. We will collaborate with national and international insurance and reinsurance institutions to develop feasible solutions for future climate risks in cities, with regard to investments in urban infrastructures, urban assets as well as for local populations to secure their shelter and economic needs.

Military for urban action will support local government associations as promoters and providers of capacity development, recognizing and strengthening, as appropriate, both their involvement in national consultations on urban policies and development priorities, and their cooperation with sub-national and local governments, along with civil society, private sector, professionals, academia and research institutions and their existing networks, to deliver on capacity development programmes by means of peer-to-peer learning, subject-matter related partnerships, and collaborative actions such as inter-municipal cooperation, on a global, regional, national, sub-national, and local scale, including the establishment of practitioners’ networks and science-policy interface practices.

Military for urban action will support science, research, and innovation, including a focus on social, technological, digital and nature-based innovation, robust science-policy interfaces in urban and territorial planning and policy formulation, as well as institutionalized mechanisms for sharing and exchanging information, knowledge and expertise, including the collection, analysis, and dissemination of geographically-based, community-collected, high-quality timely and reliable data, disaggregated by income, sex, age, race, ethnicity, migration status, disability, geographic location, and other characteristics relevant in national, sub-national, and local contexts.

Military for urban will continue strengthening mobilization efforts through partnerships, advocacy, and awareness activities on the implementation of the New Urban Agenda using existing initiatives such as World Habitat Day and World Cities Day, as well as considering establishing new initiatives to mobilize and generate support from civil society, citizens, and stakeholders. We recognize the importance of continuing to engage in the follow-up and review of the New Urban Agenda with sub-national and local governments associations represented at the World Assembly of Local and Regional Governments.

Military for urban action will foster and support the creation, promotion, and enhancement of open and participatory data platforms using technological and social tools available to transfer and share knowledge among national, sub-national, and local governments and other stakeholders, including non-state actors and people to enhance effective urban planning and management, efficiency, and transparency through e-governance, ICT-assisted approaches.

The list can go on…

Who will form / shape the New Urban Agenda, which parties can be trusted?

Growing mismatch when not all stake holders are present to offer sufficient inclusiveness in the NUA negotiations. Apart from the stereo typical urban societies as planners, architects, engineers, and scientists, we need them all, as well as an experienced urban demilitarized task force. Transformed with transferable civil skills, medical, mechanical, outdoor, HR, finance, intelligence, IT & comms, management, partnership/teamwork, logistics & support and musical, ceremonial. Committed to problem solving.

Local government – Quick cultural background

If we go back in time and compare with an interesting time in society development and who was the clergy let’s say 400 years ago?

The four social classes;

Chivalry and nobility, The stalls, the composition and activities first organized, was the Nobility. It maintained the obligation of every noble to appear before the national day, the obligation of the nobility periodically managed to get replaced by sending representatives, but in the deliberations and decisions of the Nobility would only be one of each family selected principal to participate. Aristocracy guaranteed a predominant influence through voting by classes, and the President, the so-called rural marshal, the king would appoint. Who is the King today?

Clergy, The Parliament stipulated that the first archbishop at the opening of Parliament would bring the word to all the noble estates, and he became the natural president of the clergy.The first general legislation on the untitled estates composition was given of Government : the clergy would be under this form of bishops and superintendents , two representatives of each dioesan and one for the clergy “of each two counties.” What is the faith today?

Burghers, Burghers would consist of a mayor and a bailie other distinguished citizens from each city.

The peasantry, The peasantry would be represented by a farmer from each district. No one got to be a member of parliament, who was not a resident.

The point is – all the same today as we have two groups, as above the landowners and then the landless residents, the people. We have had the above landowner groups who influenced all decisions and who have all used the military as an instrument. We have had this concerned groups as landless urban/rural city residents the people. What has changed in 400 years, is it the citizens, or..?

The New Local Government the new urban glue “connective matrix” (the mediators)

How does habitat III ensure BINGOS LGMAS FARMERS RINGOS ENGOS IPOS W&GS YOUNGOS TUNGOS and many more give inclusive sufficient voice and influence (in Togethernessship). Where in the NUA and What is the Urban/Rural role of the military, representing millions of engineers and an army of soldiers? How can a modern military force fill the capacity gap missing in forming an inhabitable globe?

Partners, stakeholders, actors, military etc. all to be inclusive anywhere the global smart (clever) city network. New city structures more resettled populations. The mixed-use trick is how to shuffling population groups between territories to benefit and trigger responders to sustainable develop the ultimate Net-Zero society!

Will Habitat IV have army support for safeguarding urban development or will there be a territorial army multi-function?

A good showcase example is Ecuador where the military has stepped in, not only to protect and rescue but are now a big part of its modernisation of a whole nations infrastructure planning, offering solutions and helping supporting urban reconstruction development upgrading in different environments. Education opportunity at the very spot in Quito!

The highly developed industrialized nations’ responsibility to combat climate change is obvious and cannot be overestimated. Similar to the issue of sustainable consumption and production patterns, the rich countries need to become leading examples if the goal of combating climate change and its consequences is not to remain mere lip service. Effectively reducing CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions is imperative in this regard. The data displayed in figures 13.1 and 13.2 show how far many OECD countries are still lagging behind compared to the respective benchmark countries of the sample.

Click on the picture to enlarge

Figure 13.1 provides information on production-based CO2 emissions per capita. “Production-based” means that emissions refer to gross direct CO2 emissions from fossil fuel combustion, emitted within the national territory excluding bunkers, sinks, and indirect effects. In the fi ve leading countries, Mexico, Turkey, Sweden, Portugal, and Hungary, as well as in sixth-ranked Chile, production based CO2 emissions are below 5 tons per capita. These countries’ performances stand in stark contrast to the respective emission levels of countries placed at the bottom of the list, such as Canada, the United States, Australia, and Luxembourg. Here, CO2 emissions range from 15.3 (Canada) to 19.47 tons per capita (Luxembourg).

Click on the picture to enlarge

The second snapshot indicator links emission levels to the size of a country’s economy, and refers to total greenhouse gas emissions per GDP. Greenhouse gas emissions include land use, land-use change, and forestry, and are measured in CO2 equivalents as a percentage of GDP (tons per million constant 2005 int. USD PPP). The findings are remarkable: While Sweden is by far the top-performing country with an amount of 66.75 tons, Estonia comes in last place with 680 tons – more than ten times as much as in the case of the leading country. Moreover, Sweden is the only country ranked among the top five on both indicators chosen here.

With regard to greenhouse gas emissions per GDP, Norway, Switzerland, Finland, and France follow in places two to five. In fifth-ranked France, however, emissions are already nearly four times as high as in Sweden. At the negative end of the spectrum, Canada and Australia again find themselves in the bottom group. Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions per GDP amount to 641 tons, which means that the country ranks second to last on both indicators of goal 13.

3 May 2016: UN Member States, international organizations and stakeholders held a week-long session of Open-Ended Informal Consultative Meetings in preparation for the UN Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III). The Meeting aimed to advance discusssions on the New Urban Agenda to be adopted at Habitat III, and to prioritize actions and identify transformative commitments to move towards sustainable cities.

The Meetings convened at UN Headquarters in New York, US, from 25-29 April 2016.

The meeting was organized around: regional perspectives; transformative commitments for sustainable urban development; effective implementation; and how to enhance means of implementation (MOI). Panel discussions examined recommendations and outputs of the ten Habitat III Policy Units, which focus on: the right to the city and cities for all; socio-cultural urban framework; national urban policies; urban governance, capacity and institutional development; municipal finance and local fiscal systems; urban spatial strategies – land market and segregation; urban economic development strategies; urban ecology and resilience; urban services and technology; and housing policies.

Panels took place on the outcomes of the seven Habitat III thematic meetings that have taken place as part of the preparatory process, which focused on: civic engagement; metropolitan areas; intermediate cities; sustainable energy and cities; financing urban development; public spaces; and informal settlements. Another session reviewed the outcomes of the Habitat III regional meeting.

In the closing session, Clos stressed the importance of urbanization for sustainable development, noting that the understanding of development has changed, as well as that of the role of urbanization in promoting prosperity. Meeting Co-Chair Maryse Gautier, France, welcomed the engagement of all stakeholders and summarized key messages from the week, including that: the resource management system is necessary; urban development must take into account the protection and maintenance of cultural heritage to ensure inclusive cities; informal sectors must be taken into account during spatial planning; and finance must be further mobilized.

Earlier in the month, the final regional meeting for Habitat III took place in Toluca, Mexico, from 18-20 April 2016, with a focus on priority issues for Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). The meeting resulted in the Toluca Declaration, which will serve as input to the New Urban Agenda. The Toluca Declaration proposes that the following issues be addressed in the New Urban Agenda: urban and territorial planning; urban governance; adequate housing; water and sanitation; sustainable mobility; land management; and environment, climate change and resilience.

The New Urban Governance

The Declaration calls for a new generation of national urban policies built on a new urbanization paradigm that promotes accessibility, adequate housing, equity, security, mobility and cultural identity. It further identifies elements for implementation of the New Urban Agenda at the national and local levels, including: developing innovative models of multi-level governance; promoting institutional solidity, professionalism, transparency and accountability in urban management; establishing spaces for citizens to participate in urban development; promoting sub-national financing mechanisms; and using information technology and communications in public decision making.

“Cities are responsible for 70% of #GHG emissions”~Mr Joan Clos

Relevant stakeholders come together in generous ‘Praha’ to participate in the European Habitat Conference within the framework of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). It is one of five regional commissions of the United Nations, bringing together 56 member countries from across Europe, the Balkans, North America and a part of Asia “the Global North”. The focus of the conference was to debate urban solutions to the issues of housing estates and the need for municipal integration.In the process towards a #NewUrbanAgenda, Habitat III Europe Regional Meeting “European Habitat” discussed how to ensure access to decent, adequate, affordable and healthy housing for all, with due attention to reducing the impact of the housing sector on the environment.

It addresses relevant current problems like urban poverty, demographic changes, climatic changes and risk of disasters, urban development and urban sprawl, coordination of urban development, and relevant use of technologies.

The most significant event of global reach to be held this year in Prague has ended with the approval of the Prague Declaration.Minister Karla Šlechtová~..“We have to turn housing estates into a good place to live: providing adequate quality housing, but also public space for community life, access to services, entertainment, leisure activities and sports. All this will have a direct impact on the safety and other factors affecting the quality of life,”

Integration of municipalities is the path to prosperity and healthy development of micro-regionsResource efficiency and promoting sustainable consumption and production patterns are critical elements for cities to manage growth, increase resource productivity, and decouple economic growth from increased resource use and its environmental impact.

Good urban governance
Promoting national urban policies as appropriate, which are conducive to sustainable urban development and foster territorial cohesion and their translation to localised urban legislation and regulations, respecting, where appropriate, the principle of subsidiarity;

Strengthening the use of spatial planning and design of urban extensions, infill and regeneration ensuring a bottom-up and multilevel governance as well as integrated approaches involving all stakeholders and the inhabitants; Cooperative mechanisms of spatial planning and steering in metropolitan areas beyond administrative boundaries should be strengthened and supported by integrated spatial strategies to ensure a balanced territorial development;

Relevant use of technologyProgress in technologies and the availability of data are rapidly changing our life and the way we organise it. Urban planners should adopt relevant technological innovations, which allow more effective use of available data. This requires educating and building the capacity of urban managers, decision-makers and inhabitants. Open and disaggregated data is a critical component in transparent and effective governance and also in the provision of efficient environmental and energy services in urban settings. Every effort must be made to keep shared data accessible to the public, while protecting the privacy of individuals. Cities should consider simple, interoperable, and comparable data markers and standards for data collection. Data should also be transparent and openly accessible to be exploited as a tool to increase the ownership and engagement of people. Technological and digital divide in urban planning and management has to be addressed.

Building accountability and regular monitoring of the coherent implementation of the New Urban Agenda, the Sustainable Development Goals with a special focus on goal 11 (Make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable) and other targets across the Agenda, using the relevant indicators defined. This should include 7 regionally specific agreements and strategies on data collection and analyses. Data should be gathered using common international standards to ensure it is compatible between Member States. It should, as much as possible, be publicly available to support policy-making, research and economic development. Lastly, global and regional data repositories should be further developed to support the policy-making process;

Three vital outcomes from the Prague Declaration are outlined below:

I. Shelter and ProtectionUrban growth and development boundaries conclusions and inclusion and resilience in the #NewUrbanAgenda based on three years project with placemaking and climate change coverage. Why? The youth is our future and their need for protective shelter in a changing climate, first and foremost. This requires multidisciplinary climate action across multilevel jurisdictional boundaries…

“We recall the outcomes of “Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030”, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” which provides a focus on cities through Goal 11 and other targets across the whole agenda as well as the “Paris Agreement”.”

“We acknowledge also regional specific agreed charters and strategies like, among others, “The Geneva UN Charter on Sustainable Housing” and the “Strategy for Sustainable Housing and Land Management in the ECE region for the period 2014-2020”.

II. Readiness for “shelter” in urban and rural open spacesTo fight climate change and avoid more loss of land The New Urban Agenda need to define and protect our greenbelts in order to keep our cities rural fringe green, compact and resilient. Also to ensure that urban dwellers have access to countryside, with consequent educational and recreational opportunities; and to protect the unique character of rural communities that might otherwise be absorbed by expanding suburbs. Stress that: Sustainable and integrated urban development and its management are crucial to the safety and quality of life of our people.

“Green, compact, resource efficient and resilient cities. Green and better integrated with nature, inclusive, liveable, compact and resilient cities are a priority in policies at all levels of the government and in regional cooperation, especially with regard to members of vulnerable groups, marginalized communities and people with special needs. 2 Increasing resource efficiency on energy, water, waste, land use and food as well as mitigating greenhouse gases emission, improving air quality and taking care of wastewater in cities together with making cities resilient to climate change and other challenges, such as to flood, drought, heat waves, natural and man-made hazards, as well as ensuring transition towards safe and sustainable urban mobility, clean and accessible urban transport for all;”

“Urbanizing deltas in this respect are facing extreme and specific tensions because of the combination of socio-economic and natural/ environmental dynamics. We encourage the use of green and blue infrastructures as well as nature-based solutions, in addition to hard preventive infrastructure and spatial planning, as a tool to prevent disasters, in particular water-related ones, from having a big impact;”

III. Sustainable public spaces that are healthy, safe, resilient, energy-conserving and resource efficientPublic space and the buildings that surround and define it need to be socially, economically and environmentally sustainable. Social sustainability requires security, equity and justice; economic sustainability benefits from affordable capital and operating budgets; environmental sustainability addresses ecological and health issues. These include clean air, water and soil, green micro-climates and the mitigation and adaptation to the Urban Heat Island Effect and Climate Change. Effective use should be made of green technologies and systems. Architecture and urban design that is adaptable and appreciated is cared for and sustained for a longer time.

Promote the knowledge transfer of good practices regarding the quality of green and public spaces, e.g. in devising layouts, ratios, spaces and built-open space and frontage ratios capable of reconciling socio-economic vitality and environmental quality with safety and pleasantness.

“Providing accessible, safe, inclusive and quality public space, and safe transportation to foster urban equity, social cohesion and better quality of life, with particular attention to the needs of men, women, children, elderly persons and persons with disabilities;”

“In order to prevent urban sprawl and strengthen the “multiple use of space” principle through effective land management. We also support climate change adaptation and mitigation measures and cities’ resilience to floods, heat waves and natural and man-made hazards.

(“The Social Cohesion and Equity discussions highlighted several practical approaches that can help make cities become more inclusive. These include better urban planning in the creation of public spaces where residents of the urban community not only feel safe but also protected.”)
The Final “Prague Declaration” from “European Habitat” can be found here;
#RegenerativeCities #Greenbelt #Placemaking #DRR #FutureofPlaces #COP22 #Habitat3 #NewUrbanAgenda #PublicSpace #WUC #TheFutureWeWant #TheCityWeNeed #UrbanSDG #UrbanAction #UrbanThinkers #Youngplacemakers #ClimateAction

Some ideas to take away that Minister Karla Šlechtová collected in the UN European Habitat conference in Prague

Cities have to be sustainable, without excluded zones; account must be taken of their residents.

Development requires a clear strategy tied to a defined vision.

Accessibility in all its aspects: accessibility of housing, public services, travel, and culture.

Only those with daring visions can turn cities into good places for living.

Only good housing can make a place good for living; whereas urban housing means not only a “shelter”, but a healthy and safe home.

“Cities are made of people, not brick walls”~Thucydides

Liveable and functioning cities without excluded zones. I want no derelict and evacuated city centres.

In the Czech Republic and many nations, one of the developmental obstacles is frequently fragmented competences. This is an aspect that has to be addressed and changed.

Urban planning and design must be centred around living in the cities.

The Czech Republic greatly managed the #EuropeanHabitat
16-18 March 2016: Three days of urban discussions in Prague with almost 4,000 experts worldwide on the future development of cities and municipalities. The UN Habitat Conference, organized by the Ministry for Regional Development, headed by the Minister Karla Šlechtová ended on Friday, 18 March 2016 with approval for the #PragueDeclaration. The document will have a direct impact on UN policy in the field of sustainable development and be part of the roadmap leading up to Habitat III in Quito. The Czech Republic and organisers have not only mastered the difficult preparation and organisation of the conference, but they also carry away a few key messages for further work and development in the area.

In line with what Minister Ms. Karla Šlechtová already mentioned in her opening speech on the first day, both the Conference and the #PragueDeclaration were not to be just about discussing, they were to bring a factual content and specific outcomes with an effective meaning for the future. Theses the Prague Declaration:

The Declaration is based on four principles: Innovative and productive cities, Green, compact, resource-efficient and versatile (resilient) cities, Inclusive and safe cities, Good urban governance.

Emphasis is put primarily on support to proper planning and management to be conducted in cooperation with all levels of governance and communities; a unified approach is vital in the effort to maximise the potential of cities, social cohesion and access to services; affordability of housing as a key factor of quality of life is one of the main features of viable cities; urban development planning must involve the effort to minimise impacts on the environment and to enhance economic, social and environmental sustainability.

We are facing various challenges relating to housing and sustainable urban development in the regions: urban poverty, demographic changes, #climate changes and based on science disaster risk reduction #DRR, urban development and mandated growth, coordination of urban development, use of relevant technologies.

Key directions from Prague to Quito: supporting cities by strengthening their capacity for innovation including social innovations and job creation, supporting optimal use of resources, equal access to affordable housing and services, eliminating poverty and exclusion, providing affordable, safe, inclusive and high-quality public space and safe transport, healthy financial management in municipalities, ensuring sustainable sources of financing, reinforcing the dialogue between various levels of government and relevant actors.

European HABITAT in Prague on 16 – 18. 3. 2016 (summary)

Some facts about the UN Conference on the European Habitat

It was attended by nearly 4,000 thousand experts from around the world.

During the Conference a total of 96 separate official events and dozens of bilateral negotiations were conducted.

In total there were more than 300 hours of expert discussions.

More than 50 experts took the floor.

Significantly the conference also involved the Czech representatives, in the main program and accompanying activities.

The main outcome of the Conference is the Prague Declaration, the final version of which has been worked on by the international Advisory Board and with the participation of Minister of Regional Development Ms. Karla Šlechtová.

The Conference was held on an area of more than 42,000 sq-m2 in the Prague Congress Centre.

In addition to the PCC, more places in Prague hosted the Conference accompanying activities.

An organisation team of more than 150 people looked after the organisation of the Conference.

More than 11,000 meters of cabling where installed in the Prague Congress Centre in order to provide technical setting to the Conference.

About 100 model works created by students were exposed in the Congress Centre – many of them 3D models of planned buildings.

Climate Change Centre Reading, is honored to participate at the UN regional meeting European Habitat Conference as a climate advocate for natural weather shelter / protection of #urbanthinkers. The conference will take place in the Prague Congress Centre, Prague, Czech Republic between March 16 to 18, 2016

Habitat III Europe Regional Meeting “European Habitat” will involve a wide range of participants, that will debate regional priorities for the New Urban Agenda, and policy recommendations in the form of a final regional participants’ declaration. The “European Habitat”, is an international regional conference organised within the framework of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). It is one of five regional commissions of the United Nations, bringing together 56 member countries from Europe, the Balkans, North America and a part of Asia. The event is an official part of preparations for the third global UN Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development “Habitat III”. Based on a decision of the UN General Assembly adopted in December 2014, this conference should be held in Ecuador in October 2016. The event is being prepared by the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat). UNO regional conferences are organised by individual regional economic commissions – and it is UNECE that covers the 56 above mentioned member countries (UNECE Member States).

In this regard, “European Habitat” will gather recommendations reflecting the consensus reached at the regional level on sustainable housing and other topics from the spectrum of a proposed New #UrbanAgenda.

Join us at this exciting opportunity to discuss the challenges of Sustainable “Housing in Liveable Cities”.

In the process towards a New Urban Agenda, Habitat III Europe Regional Meeting “European Habitat” will discuss how to ensure access to decent, adequate, affordable and healthy housing for all, with due attention to reducing the impact of the housing sector on the environment. Final declaration from “European Habitat” will be considered official inputs to the Habitat III process. Join us at this exciting opportunity to discuss the challenges of Sustainable Housing in Liveable Cities.

The official outcome of the European Habitat conference will be the Prague Declaration whose draft was discussed in December 2015 at the plenary session of the UNECE Committee on Housing and Land Management, the UNECE executive body for housing and urban development. In October 2014, the Committee discussed and adopted the Geneva UN Charter on Sustainable Housing, which was then approved by UNECE’s Plenary in April 2015 as the official contribution of the relevant region to the Habitat III conference. The Geneva UN Charter on Sustainable Housing is an essential strategic document which the Prague Declaration develops further. The European Habitat is one of the first UN implementing conferences reflecting the goals of UN post-2015 Development Agenda.

Final “Prague Declaration” from “European Habitat” will be considered official inputs to the Habitat III process.

The #UN European Habitat Conference, is part of the roadmap to #Habitat3 in QUITO – OCTOBER 2016.

Based on a decision of the UN General Assembly, the city of Quito, Ecuador, will host the third global UN Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (the “Habitat III conference”) from 17 to 20 October, 2016. These summits take place every twenty years; the first one was organised in June 1976 in Vancouver, Canada, the second summit “Habitat II” took place in June 1996 in Istanbul, Turkey.

The official outcome of the Habitat III summit will be the adoption of the discussed document (New Urban Agenda), responding to development in urban areas, with respect to the ever increasing share of the world’s population living in towns and cities (by 2050 the share will be 70%).

Preparations for the Habitat III summit are carried out according to the procedure approved by UN General Assembly; the process is managed by the Steering Committee of Habitat III.

(UN–Habitat) is the United Nations agency for human settlements and sustainable urban development. It was established in 1978 as an outcome of the First UN Conference on Human Settlements and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat I) held in Vancouver, Canada in 1976. UN-Habitat maintains its headquarters at the United Nations Office at Nairobi, Kenya. It is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities with the goal of providing adequate shelter for all. It is a member of the United Nations Development Group. The mandate of UN-Habitat derives from the Habitat Agenda, adopted by the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II) in Istanbul, Turkey, in 1996. The twin goals of the Habitat Agenda are adequate shelter for all and the development of sustainable human settlements in an urbanizing world.